5 C.F.R. § 1650.61 Spousal rights applicable to post-employment withdrawals.
Title 5 - Administrative Personnel
(a) The spousal rights described in this section apply to full post-employment withdrawals when the married participant's vested TSP account balance exceeds $3,500, and to partial post-employment withdrawals without regard to the amount of the participant's account balance. (b) The spouse of a CSRS participant is entitled to notice when the participant applies for a post-employment withdrawal, unless the participant was granted an exception under this subpart to the spousal notification requirement within 90 days of the date the withdrawal request is processed by the TSP. The participant must provide the TSP record keeper with the spouse's correct address. The TSP record keeper will send the required notice by first class mail to the spouse at the most recent address provided by the participant. (c) The spouse of a FERS or uniformed services participant has a right to a joint and survivor annuity with a 50 percent survivor benefit, level payments, and no cash refund based on the participant's entire account balance when the participant elects a full post-employment withdrawal. The participant may make a different withdrawal election only if his or her spouse waives the right to this annuity. (1) To show that the spouse has waived the right to this annuity, the participant must submit to the TSP record keeper a properly completed withdrawal request form, signed by his or her spouse in the presence of a notary, unless the TSP granted the participant an exception under this subpart to the spousal notification requirement within 90 days of the date the withdrawal form is processed by the TSP. If the TSP granted the participant an exception to the signature requirement, the participant should enclose a copy of the TSP's approval letter with the withdrawal form. (2) Because a partial post-employment withdrawal will diminish the amount in the account which is available for a joint and survivor annuity, a spouse's consent is required before a partial withdrawal will be approved, regardless of the amount to be withdrawn. (3) Both a spouse's waiver of a joint and survivor annuity and a spouse's consent to a partial withdrawal must be properly notarized. (4) The spouse's waiver or consent is irrevocable for that withdrawal once the TSP record keeper has received it. [68 FR 35503, June 13, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 29851, May 26, 2004]
Title 5: Administrative Personnel
PART 1650—METHODS OF WITHDRAWING FUNDS FROM THE THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN
Subpart G—Spousal Rights
§ 1650.61 Spousal rights applicable to post-employment withdrawals.
